25 May 2007

Caffe Italiano - part 2

Great news! We all get along famously! I shared some stories and some photos from my little Tropic of Coffee biz and they loved them. They saw that I did what they're doing, just with a few variations really.

We hung out all afternoon. I got a mild face sunburn too, glad I wore long sleeves. But yeah, we hit it off, just chatting, getting to know one another through the world of coffee and our histories. Sure enough, they had a "gig" that late afternoon, evening. So, I helped and watched them set up their cool moped stand and we started making espressos. They only use arabica beans, which of course is the only way to go. We compared techniques and I tried to absorb as fast as I could, as many of their nuances in brewing as I could. What's really brilliant about their business is that they only offer the core espresso drinks.
  • Espresso
  • Macchiatto
  • Americano
  • Cappuccino
  • Latte
They don't even have chocolate unless the party requests it, nor other flavorings, nor ICE for cold drinks! So simple. But I think that it's easier to accomplish here because Swedes are content with lattes (80+% of their business) and they actually don't give a flying hoot about sweetener flavor syrups and even sugar, most of the time. How brilliant is that?!! It makes me realize how complicated it was to please Americans, no really. They all have to have their special darn twist. Wether it's low fat milk, or sugar free syrup, or any syrup, or a blended frappuccino or something with whipped cream. They can't just enjoy the cool drinks for the simple splendor that they are!

We'll be offering 3 sizes of drinks (biggest is only about the 16 oz size). I get to sleep in a sleeping bag in a tent or the truck or something for 5 nights and I've been told the showers they have are really dirty and less than pleasant, great. Spot cleaning at its finest I suppose. I need to bring clothes for all weather because rain is always a possibility and so is sun and the nights are gonna get real cold; naturally. But I'm trhilled to be helping these young folks out and they're helping me too; so, for now, it's gonna be the start to a great relationship. We'll be expected to work solo at one of the 3 mopeds for 10-12 hours a day. Whoo!

What's cool is that they've just started a website: Caffe Italiano; you can see some pics, but sadly, it's in swedish. Sorry folks! So, yeah, I'm gonna be getting up there on Tuesday and serving Wednesday through Saturday and coming back on Sunday (June 5-10) Skål!

24 May 2007

Caffe Italiano

I'm hoping for the best. I have an "interview" this afternoon with Caffe Italiano. The couple whom run this little coffee kiosk business are super nice. (Cristina and Sebastian)

We met in February at the wedding expo and we really hit it off after I casually invited myself to work for them. Well, they called me back only a couple of weeks ago... and well, looks like I'm in. I'm going to begin working with one of their mopeds at a rock festival in the far northeast part of Skåne (quite a train ride or drive away). The festival lasts for 4 days! Go to Sweden Rock for more info about the concert. I'm quite certain I'm in, but can't help but feel nervous. I guess I'm going to be nervous about my swedish for quite some time. But the cool thing is that Cristina is from Italy and is learning Swedish herself! So, she and Sebastian quite understand the learning process. I guess my coffee history has truly sparked their attention. Can't argue with that!

What's I think even more crazy, or ironic, is that my brazilian classmate, Eduardo, and his girlfriend are going to be at the same festival working the beer tent! I just about flipped. Here, I thought I'd be totally alone... and well, still might be, but that's rockin' I may actually see a face I already know! Way awesome.

Anywho, gotta fly, don't want to be late or anything. Hejdå!

19 May 2007

Movie Rating Systems

Mood: Fantastic and bright.
Music: Jazz all morning and electronica by early evening now.
Happenings: Hosted a sweet and rockin' high tea party for a few of my new classmate girlfriends.

Tons of teas, lots of sugars, including Mickey Mouse shaped sugar cubes and brown rock sugar... 2 light tea sandwiches: 1. smoked salmon with fresh ginger, cilantro and lime cream cheese and butter spread; 2. cucumber with butter and daikon sprouts and a little S&P. Kicked up pigs in a blanket with mustard.... then there was dessert with truffles, brownies and cheese cake, as well as delicate raisin sugar cookies. FABULOUS! Only 3 of the 6 invited came, but it was a really sweet time anyways.

Perhaps picks later, since I actually have none...

But, you've got to love this here explanation of a movie rating system. It couldn't be more simple, straightforward and explanatory. Makes me wish most were like this.

5 stars: briljant = brilliant
4 stars: mycket bra = really good
3 stars: helt okey rulle = OK flick
2 stars: i brist annat = if nothing else, then this is OK
1 star: inte ens i brist annat = not even if there's nothing else
no stars: borde aldrig blivit gjord = should never have been made

I just think that movies get so ambiguous with a variety of stars attached to films and we don't really know what they mean anymore... but this newspaper seems to have it smart! I quite like it anyways.... particularly that last one, shouldn't have even been made. Sometimes, films really need a no star rating, or even a 1 star rating, because they can be pretty generous with the 3 stars on films that don't end... like the second Pirates of the Caribbean movie, good grief the critics liked that one. Just can't agree. Anyways, I'm off to enjoy a gorgeous afternoon from a rainy and cold earlier half of the day! Ta ta!

15 May 2007

A Garden Walk


I am not going to sit here and apologize for not having written. April was too busy for me to care to review it here. Thus, I'm going to take you on a nature walk about Lund. We have had such a lovely spring here, all early blooming and such (typical blooming is later in May and June, not April).

When you first walk outside of our apartment complex, you are greeted with these fantastic pink tulips. They remind me of a cross of roses and peonies, but everything else screams tulips!

As you continue into our courtyard, there is such a breathtaking array of flowers. So many tulip clusters and the flowering trees! So much colour, and the fragrance. I really cannot begin to describe the awesome perfume in the air. It's all around town and Lund, these beautiful trees, we'll see some more in a bit. Purple tulips, White tulips, Red tulips, Yellow tulips surrounded by a too cute blue flower ground cover... Tiny bluish purple flower bunches, yellow flowers I don't know the name of with too beautiful dark green foliage to compliment.

Even in the cracks along and in the paved brick paths are little flowering "weeds" with too cool little bluish flowers amidst a great effort of green inviting. I guess it's all the colour they add... yes, even foliage. I tell you, even the weeds look cute and dandelions and these tiny daisy looking ones the are just as everywhere as the dandelions.

The yard is filled with these pink trees and I've got a photo here of a white one with the pink in the background. So so stunning! And to see some of these amazing flowers up close, here's a second photo. I am quite overwhelmed this spring by the gorgeous season here. I don't think I've ever seen such a colourful and fragrant spring ever in the Chicago suburbs. I don't know if these lovely trees don't grow well there or what! But I guess there, you'll have a much prettier autumn. The colours are drab an unimpressive here in that season.

As we leave this impressive sanctuary where people bring their children to play, or just sunbathe and take a stroll through it, we are graced with other unique and beautiful patches of spring bulbs. I missed taking pictures of the crocuses, but here's a cool blend of dafodils and tulips. And this red and yellow tulip? I don't know what it's called. But I've nick-named it a flame tulip. This one appears in a few random home gardens. I've even come accross a couple other striking varieties.

Ah, as we walk into town, our noses are slammed with a crazy amount of fragrance. Thanks to these 2 varieties of purple flowering trees. There's also pink ones and magnolias. My goodness, I've never seen those up close before. So so beautiful. I really like those. These white blossoms appear in almost all the parks. They've since turned a burnt pink as they've matured and are probably dying out. These trees are so huge and immense that these hover above my head around 6 ft "low" and these are at the very bottom. These trees are so high, I really cannot estimate how tall they are. So lovely.

And this last photo is something I saw alongside a shop's planter of flowers. I've never seen it before either and found it beyond stunning. The sort of geometric nature to it. Bright white on top and a deep purple on the underside. Way too cool.

Now you see what I'm in awe by this spring. It's really been beautiful and I'm really glad and I think, lucky to have seen it and been a part of its enjoyment and beauty. When I'm walking and riding from place to place, I just take it a bit more calm these recent days to enjoy and smell the flowers. Really enchanting, I tell you.